On Sunday morning I did a breakfast with the characters at a local theme park.
I couldn't believe what I saw.
People need to love and be loved, and to have fun. This in itself is the main point of being incarnate in a human body. This need to love and be loved, and to have fun, is universal. Everything created under any sun whatsoever, has its needs to exist in a peaceful, supportive environment where it can thrive.
At the entrance to the buffet, everyone meets with Donald Quack (you know who I mean). And just before us was a little Japanese boy, perhaps five, absolutely thrilled to meet and touch and hug this character.
And the character was cool! When we got to meet him, we did a photo, both Anthony and me. But when the duck met Anthony, he did a 'high five' where you move the hand at the last minute. It was funny, a local way around here to tease bigger kids.
After the photo, Anthony remembered, and did the same thing back to the duck. The duck was delighted and acted all upset but you know the duck really wasn't.
When coffee was being poured, the music stopped, and the overhead announcement was, 'come on everybody, let's have some fun and dance!' Next, they played the Beach Boys 'Surfing USA'--all the songs were from my childhood. I didn't dance. No adults did. But the faces on the children, all of them dancing, were priceless. It was absolute joy.
So I thought to myself, this is what is needed. Opportunities for joy. And somehow, when people put on a costume (or a puppet) people forget the usual ways of interacting, and interact as their true selves. I told Anthony I bet that therapy with a professional therapist probably would be a lot more effective if the therapist wore a costume and did gestures instead of speaking.
Little did I know I was within minutes of getting my own taste of 'Stitch Therapy'!
Stitch came to our table. I told him he was my favorite--he is--and asked if he had a nice breakfast?
Yes, he had eaten well.
What do you like to eat?
Stitch pointed to the character waffle on my plate.
I asked, 'do you drink coffee?'
YES!
How do you take it? With sugar and cream?
YES! everything! and lots of sugar packets!
Stitch took me by the hand and guided me through the buffet line, with me cracking up the whole time. Don't eat this. Eat this. The beignets were good, Stitch said, and the cook Frank said, 'take two, they are good and you will wish you had taken two.' Obviously Stitch and Frank knew each other.
We went back to the table, and Stitch gestured for Anthony to go to the buffet line, and took Anthony's chair, and just sat with legs crossed and hand under the chin to express, 'I'm listening!'
I thanked Stitch for the kindness.
Then I said it.
I said, 'Stitch, I'm old!' and I gestured with my hands, fifty-five.
Stitch shook his head no, very fast, and said wait! Then did a magical gesture and put up the fingers to say, twenty-one, and nodded furiously. YOU ARE TWENTY ONE!
By then Anthony came back. But the healing had taken place.
On the one hand, my physical body in this incarnation is old enough to eat off the Senior Discount menu at Denny's. It feels it. Work is harder, the hours I feel them, and also, I notice differences like with my energy level and my vision. Reading glasses are a must for me now. All the time.
On the other hand, my soul is eternal, it doesn't age, and I go through incarnations like handfuls of popcorn at the movies.
But my heart?
My heart of hearts? It's like Stitch said--it's twenty-one. Where everything is new and exciting. Where I can anticipate something wonderful to be happening every day.
These characters hugged everyone. Absolutely everyone, every child, every parent, and they were real hugs, hugs of validation and pure unconditional love.
Some were a little more reserved than others. The Daisy Quack and the Mini . But all served their purpose.
So what I see--is that even though at the top some organizations are really adherent to some unpleasant philosophy, and furthermore, if you are trained what to look for, it can be disturbing to see the 'signals' hidden in plain sight--the front lines are people. Exceptional people with good hearts and good people skills that enjoy bringing out the best in others.
At check in, for the hotel, the larger, second earthquake struck. We weren't sure what was happening. The clerk was pregnant. Her boss came and told her to stand in a door. She did. Then the boss came and told us to seek protection. (most of the time we just wait for them to end). So Anthony and I ducked under the counter. Then all the elevators closed. It was a half hour wait for the safety checks. We were not allowed to take the stairs because the security person said, 'we are not utilizing them now'. All the training was in place, as well as the protocols for safety.
This is the number two employer in my county, with number one being the University.
That's why I will leave the judging to those who can weigh the evidence. The rotten parts need to go. But the framework? Well, that's another story.
On the Jungle boat ride, the boat driver is always a bit of a comedian. And on our last ride of the night, he said, 'do you know what that is? That's bamboo. It grows six stories tall. Some people say it grows seven stories tall, but that's a whole other story.' He said it about six different times in different places of the ride, as if he was saying it the first time. It was hysterical. So now you are in on the inside joke. That's another story!
Ross is pleased.
He wanted me to keep today's simple and to the point. He was concerned perhaps my including the earthquake and the boat part would detract from the main point. But he sees now it's okay.
He was with me a lot on my birthday weekend. And I realized, he's got everything under control, and sometimes it's best to relax and enjoy and have fun while he and his teams are taking care of Ascension and all that is entails. Yes, when there's work, I work. But he's working too, and has broad strong shoulders to carry the responsibility.
And when he interacts with others? He has the same effect on people as Stitch did with me. I love Ross for that. And I can't wait to watch him in action, 'on stage' as they say at that amusement park--bringing out the best in everyone he meets.
clap! clap!
Aloha and Mahalos,
Namaste,
Peace,
Ross and Carla
The Twins
